Siding structure



March 16, 1965 WEBER 3,173,229

SIDING STRUCTURE Filed Feb. 16, 196].

INVENTOR. E LMER WEBER BY MW fWW ATTOR N EYS United States Patent 3,173,229 SIDING STRUCTURE Elmer Weber, Rte. 4, Vassar, Mich. Filed Feb. 16, 1261, Ser. No. 89,849 5 Claims. (Cl. 50-247) This invention relates to siding and like construction and particularly to siding structure incorporating conventional, tapering, wood siding strips and clips which are configured to support the strips and locate them in overlapping courses, one above the other.

It is an important object of the invention to provide a siding construction which need not be face nailed and permits pre-finishing of the siding strips prior to application of the strips to the building.

A further object of the invention is to provide a prefinishable siding construction which is well suited to all climate conditions, and which is so designed that rusting is avoided and rust spots will not appear to mar the appearance of the applied siding.

Another object of the invention is to provide a siding construction of the character described in which the front and rear surface area of each strip is spaced from the strips in adjacent courses and from the sheathing to which the strips are applied, thus preventing moisture from soaking into the siding and causing the paint to peel.

Another object of the invention is to provide a siding construction including tapered wood siding strips and plastic clips which snugly fit the upper end of the siding strips and have sufficient rigidity to receive and support the weight of the siding above, which, as those skilled in the art will be aware, is adequate to straighten out the common lengthwise bows or warps in elongate siding strips.

A further object of the invention is to provide a structure incorporating clips of the character mentioned which have a minimum surface coverage and are designed to provide a one-piece element which can be easily and economically fabricated.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a siding construction incorporating a clip which necessarily provides the increased space required between the siding strips and sheathing to which they are applied.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be disclosed in the following descriptive material and drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a transverse, sectional view showing my siding assembly applied to a typical wall structure; and

FIGURE 2 is a fragmentary, front elevational view with portions of the siding strips being broken away to better illustrate the construction.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, wherein I have shown only a preferred embodiment of the invention, a letter W generally indicates the wall of a building and includes a plate member mounted on the masonry block foundation 11 in the usual manner. Plate 19 supports a header 12 and joists 13 which support the sub-floor 14. Framing which is mounted on the sub-floor 14 includes a plate 15 and studs 16 which usually will be located at 16 inch intervals. Wood or fiberboard sheathing 17 is nailed to the studs 16 as shown and provides most of the siding application surface. It will be seen, however, that the lowermost siding strip 18 is applied over the plate member 10 and header 12 in a manner which will be described. While the drawing does not show the nails which secure the conventional elements of the wall W in position, it is to be understood that they are used in the well known manner.

Mounted on the upper end of siding strip 18, and also the superjacent siding strip 19 and other siding strips (not 3,173,229 Patented Mar. 16, 1965 shown) of the construction, are clip members generally designated C, which will now be described. These clips C in practice may be on the order of an inch in width and are usually spaced at about 16 inch intervals so that they can be nailed to the studs 16. Of course, if the sheathing 17 is wood, the spacing of the clips C will not be critical. While I do not propose to limit the elements of my siding construction to any particular dimension, I mention certain dimensions to clarify the relationship between the clips C and the siding strips 18 and 19 which, of course, usually are on the order of ten feet or more in length.

Each clip C includes a generally U-shaped body portion generally designated 20 which is formed to snugly fit over and accommodate the tapering upper edge of the strip, such as 18, on which it is mounted. The front section 21 of the body portion 20 has a horizontal flange portion 22 with an upturned lip 23 which engages within the slit 24 extending from end to end of the bottom edge of the strip 18 and other like strips in the siding construction. It will be seen that the rear portion of the lower edge of siding strip 18 is cut away as at 25 to accommodate the flange portion 22 of clip C.

The body portion 2!} of the clip also includes a back plate or base 26 of approximately twice the thickness of front portion 21 which is joined to the portion 21 by a web section 27, section 27 also being about twice the thickness of section 21. Back plate 26 extends downwardly to the level of the flange 22 to provide a stable base for the clip C and also extends upwardly above the web section 27, as at 26a, to provide an integral nailing tab section 26a, as shown. Section 26a of each clip C has a preformed nail opening 28 to pass the nail 29, which nails the clip in position and thereby secures the siding strip 19 in pre-located position.

The so-called started clips C, which are used only to support the lowermost siding strips 18, are of identical construction except that the front plate section 21 and back plate section 26 are united as shown to form a solid body portion 20'. The clips C and C are preferably molded of a rigid, synthetic plastic such as Du Pont Telrin, which is inexpensive and permits the clips to be fabricated in large quantities at very low cost. By avoiding face nailing of the siding strips 18 and 19 and superjacent strips to the wall structure W, considerable labor cost is also eliminated, since there is no need to putty up exposed nails and the siding can be painted at the factory under mass production conditions. Splitting and checking of the wood siding strips 18 and 19 is also avoided because the panel strips no longer need be face nailed in position. Because the strips are formed of a synthetic plastic material, which could also be nylon or Teflon, the clips cannot rust, and have suficient rigidity to adequately support the superjacent panel strips. For example, the plate section 21 of a Telrin plastic clip C need be no more than of an inch in thickness.

It will be noted that the enlarged space 30 behind the strips 18 and 19 also includes the space between the clips C from top to bottom of each strip. By providing an air circulation space of this character, the paint on the strips is preserved and does not peel. Because the front plate section 21 and back plate 26 extend at a slight angle to one another to snugly accommodate the upper edge of the siding strip 18, it is possible to nail the clip at the tab portion 26a without in any way disturbing the alignment of the siding strips. The back plate 26 is of sufficient length to provide a firm support base which extends down to the level of flange 22 and prevents tilting of the clip.

It should be apparent that I have perfected a siding construction which is extremely practical and durable in nature.

It is to be understood that the drawings and descriptive matter are in all cases to be interpreted as merely illustrative of the principles of the invention, rather than as limit ing the same in any way, since it is contemplated that various changes may be made in the various elements to achieve like results without departing from the spirit of theinvention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A prefinished siding structure comprising: a generally vertical support wall structure; a plurality of superjacent, prefinished, siding panels, including a lower panel, arranged in overlapping, longitudinally extending courses one above the other on the outer surface of said support wall structure; longitudinally spaced lower clips each comprising: a body portion between the lower panel and support wall structure to space the said panel therefrom, an

outwardly extending lower part extending angularly from the body portion to support the butt portion of the lower panel, and a nailing flange extending above said body portion adjacent said wall structure; vertically spaced rows of longitudinally spaced clips for mounting each of the successively uppermost panels to the support wail structure, each of the latter clips having an inverted U-shaped portion with legs, shaped to accommodate the upper edge of a panel, and each of said latter clips also having a tiltpreventing base formed by the one leg of said U-shaped portion which extends generally vertically behind the upper edge of the panel and a continuing portion thereof which extends upwardly above the upper edge of the panel to form anailing flange; said latter clips in each row having outwardly extending parts on the other legs of their ineverted U-shaped portions for supporting the superjacent panel; and securing means extending through said nailing flanges of said clips into said support wall structure to secure said clips in position.

2. A prefinished siding structure comprising: a general- 1y vertical support wall structure; a plurality of superjacent, surface finished, siding panels arranged in overlapping, longitudinally extending courses one above the other on the outer surface of said support wall structure; vertically spaced rows of longitudinally spaced clips for mounting each of the panels to the support Wall structure, each clip having an inverted U-shaped portion with legs spaced to accommodate the upper edge of a panel, and each clip also having a tilt preventing base formed by one leg of said U-shaped portion which extends generally vertically behind the upper edge of the panel, and a continuing portion thereof which extends upwardly above the upper edge of the panel to form a nailing flange; clips in each row having outwardly extending parts on the other legs of their inverted U-shaped portions for supporting the superjacent panel; and securing means extending through the nail flanges of said clips into said support wall structure to secure said clips in position.

3. The combination defined in claim 2 in which said bases of the clips have fiat back surfaces.

4. The combination defined in claim 3 in which said clips are formed of plastic and the said base of each is of substantially greater thickness than the said other leg portion.

5. The combination defined in claim 3 in which the said one leg of each clip extends downwardly substantially to the level of the said other leg on each clip.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,149,818 North Mar. 7, 1939 2,249,125 Gabriel July 15, 1941 2,292,984 Alvarez Aug. 11, 1942 2,648,103 Wahlfeld Aug. 11, 1953 2,928,143 Newton Mar. 15, 1961 

1. A PREFINISHED SIDING STRUCTURE COMPRISING: A GENERALLY VERTICAL SUPPORT WALL STRUCTURE; A PLURALITY OF SUPERJACENT, PREFINISHED, SIDING PANELS, INCLUDING A LOWER PANEL, ARRANGED IN OVERLAPPING, LONGITUDINALLY EXTENDING COURSES ONE ABOVE THE OTHER ON THE OUTER SURFACE SAID SUPPORT WALL STRUCTURE; LONGITUDINALLY SPACED LOWER CLIPS EACH COMPRISING: A BODY PORTION BETWEEN THE LOWER PANEL AND SUPPORT WALL STRUCTURE TO SPACE THE SAID PANEL THEREFROM, AN OUTWARDLY EXTENDING LOWER PART EXTENDING ANGULARLY FROM THE BODY PORTION TO SUPPORT THE BUTT PORTION OF THE LOWER PANEL, AND A NAILING FLANGE EXTENDING ABOVE SAID BODY PORTION ADJACENT SAID WALL STRUCTURE; VERTICALLY SPACED ROWS OF LONGITUDINALLY SPACED CLIPS FOR MOUNTING EACH OF THE SUCCESSIVELY UPPERMOST PANELS TO THE SUPPORT WALL STRUCTURE, EACH OF THE LATTER CLIPS HAVING AN INVERTED U-SHAPED PORTION WITH LEGS, SHAPED TO ACCOMMODATE THE UPPER EDGE OF A PANEL, AND EACH OF SAID LATTER CLIPS ALSO HAVING A TILTPREVENTING BASE FORMED BY THE ONE LEG OF SAID U-SHAPED PORTION WHICH EXTENDS GENERALLY VERTICALLY BEHIND THE UPPER EDGE OF THE PANEL AND A CONTINUING PORTION THEREOF WHICH EXTENDS UPWARDLY ABOVE THE UPPER EDGE OF THE PANEL TO FORM A NAILING FLANGE; SAID LATTER CLIPS IN EACH ROW HAVING OUTWARDLY EXTENDING PARTS ON THE OTHER LEGS OF THEIR INVERTED U-SHAPED PORTIONS FOR SUPPORTING THE SUPERJACENT PANEL; AND SECURING MEANS EXTENDING THROUGH SAID NAILING FLANGES OF SAID CLIPS INTO SAID SUPPORT WALL STRUCTURE TO SECURE SAID CLIPS IN POSITION. 